Identity Theft Resource Center Q3 2022 Data Breach Report: Compromises & Victims Up from Q2 – Record High Year Unlikely

Date: 10/12/2022

Data compromises in Q3 increased by 15 percent over Q2 but continue to track behind the record pace of 2021

SAN DIEGO, October 12, 2022 – Today, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization established to support victims of identity crime, released its U.S. data breach findings for the third quarter (Q3) of 2022. According to the Q3 2022 Data Breach Report analysis, there were 474 publicly-reported data compromises in the Quarter, a 15 percent increase compared to Q2 this year. However, the year-to-date (YTD) number of compromises (1,291) is only 69 percent of the year-end total in 2021, making a record-high number of compromises in 2022 unlikely.

The number of victims jumped 210 percent in Q3 2022 over Q2 2022, partly due to an AT&T-related breach (23M victims) and a Neopets data compromise (69M victims), which account for more than half of the YTD victim count. Also, the number of data breach notices with no information about the root cause of the compromise increased for the fourth consecutive quarter to 199 of the 419 breaches reported in Q3. Concern continues to grow that this trend will move into 2023.

Download the ITRC’s Q3 2022 Data Breach Report Analysis and Key Takeaways

“The findings in the Q3 2022 Data Breach Report analysis reveal a lot of interesting information,” said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “Most notably is the continued increase in data breach notices that lack information about the cause of cyberattacks that result in data breaches. In 2019, the ITRC only recorded 19 data breach notices where there was no information about the cause of the cyberattack. From Q4 of 2021 to Q3 of 2022, that number has grown to 617, 37 percent of all cyberattack-related data breaches reported in the period. The ITRC will continue to closely monitor this trend because businesses and consumers are at a higher risk of a cybercrime when important information is left out of data breach notices.”

Other findings in the Q3 2022 Data Breach Report analysis include:

  • Q3 2022 saw a 250 percent increase in supply chain attacks (1,280 entities impacted by 48 supply chain attacks) compared to H1 2022 (367 organizations affected by 44 attacks).
  • Cyberattacks (419) made up 88 percent of data breaches in Q3. Phishing attacks (124) remained the primary attack vector for the 15th consecutive quarter. Also, with non-Russian affiliated ransomware groups emerging and cryptocurrency markets less volatile, ransomware attacks rebounded slightly in Q3.
  • Malware-based attacks (13 in Q3) dropped to the lowest number in 3.75 years. They have become increasingly rare as the number of related attacks has fallen steadily from a recent high of 39 attacks in Q2 2021.

Earlier this year, the ITRC launched a free alert service for consumers where individuals can register to receive an alert if a company with which they do business is added to the ITRC’s notified data compromise database. To learn more, click here. For more information on recent data breaches, consumers and businesses should visit the ITRC’s improved data breach tracking tool, notified, Powered by the ITRC.

Anyone can receive free support and guidance from a knowledgeable live advisor by calling 888.400.5530 or visiting www.idtheftcenter.org to live-chat. 

About the Identity Theft Resource Center  

Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization established to empower and guide consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. Through public and private support, the ITRC provides no-cost victim assistance and consumer education through its website live-chat idtheftcenter.org and toll-free phone number 888.400.5530. The ITRC also equips consumers and businesses with information about recent data breaches through its data breach tracking tool, notified. The ITRC offers help to specific populations, including the deaf/hard of hearing and blind/low vision communities.  

Media Contact  

Identity Theft Resource Center  
Alex Achten  
Head of Earned & Owned Media Relations  
888.400.5530 Ext. 3611  
[email protected]  

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